Dear Readers,

I, like a ton of other teenage writers have school, family, and matters that tend to take up more time than we plan.

I'm terribly sorry that I've taken nearly half a year to write a sequel to the much enjoyed "Life Goes On" Series.

Perhaps it is for the best, as I have collected more "Real" Life emotion and will be applying it into my work.

I Dedicate this Series to my Girlfriend Sophie, Whom I love very much, and of course, the Creator of the book, Bridge to Terabithia,

Katherine Paterson,

I own nothing of the names of Paterson's work, and am only using them for non-profit entertainment. At a copywriter owners Discretion, if asked, I will remove any work that is to be removed, as to meet their wishes.

Hopefully, this won't detour any reviewers.

Thank you all for your support, I hope you find my this sequel as pleasing, if not more satisfying, than my previous series.

Leopards,

-Prologue-

Summertime was nearing each day. Jess Aarons, and his wife Leslie "Sophia" Burke Aarons ( both in their late teens ) Resided in Lark Creek Virginia.

Although they didn't live with they're families, the two were still content with life to its fullest.

"That Is, until now."

It looks like it's about to rain out now and I'm not sure if Les is going to be cooking tonight. She's constantly fed up with that new architecture design for a High School project that's due on the First of the month.

What a stupid thing to be doing. "Schoolwork on a Weekend day that is."

She use to always be the one who enjoyed life as much as one could. Now ever since her poor mother came down with pneumonia, she hasn't been the same.

I feel sorry for her and I don't know what to do. I discussed the problem with my friends and colleagues but they are stumped as well.

Some would tell me to take her out on a romantic date. I tried that, and she seemed depressed through it all. Others recommended harsher methods, such as taking her to a Counselor.

I knew this would not be possible. Our past was very Secretive and was never to be told to another soul. I paused for a moment in thought.

"Leslie?" I yelled. Gee! Whenever did I use to yell at her? It seemed like yesterday that the two of us were in the forests of...Now that I recall, it's almost as if we completely forgot. "Terabithia"

Yes, yes. We use to play and pretend to be the King and Queen of a magical forest that we named Terabithia.

Once we left our parents houses to have one for ourselves, we promised never to forget. Its almost like a childhood dream. Something you promise to yourself to do but it never comes through. But this was different

I would never forget Terabithia. Not now, not ever. For it was how Leslie and I use to deal with our everyday problems.

Just like Leslie had once said, where there wasn't a Gary Fulcher, there would always be a big company CEO.

That held true when I started my profession as a Trainee Design Artist for the local Newspaper company.

The pay wasn't that great, and the people whom I dealt with could be better, but at least I was doing what I loved. Right?

Chapter One: A cloudy day in Lark Creek

"Leslie!" I yelled. "Are you going to make dinner or is it going to be pizza night again?"

"Pizza!" she yelled in a distraught voice.

I groaned at the thought of Pizza again. It had been the sixth night in a row of eating the same thing for dinner.

"That's it." I howled. "I'm cooking tonight!"

I ran over into the kitchen and pushed into the kitchen-Courbet for a proper baking pan.

"What are you doing?" She asked walking over with a book wedged between her arm and a Pencil lodged above her left ear.

"I think that would be obvious by now!" I answered pulling out a large silver pan.

"You've never cooked before." She complained.

"I know, but there's always a first time!" I took the pan, placed it in the oven and started preheating.

She laughed a little at this and I soon realized why.

I would not get angry, since laughter among us was very uncommon nowadays.

"Your suppose to put the ingredients first, then bake it." She giggled, now placing her school book on the counter.

She corrected my mistake and pulled out a pot to put some Noodles to make a pasta with.

"At least it's not pizza." I thought to myself.

"I know it's practically the cousin of the pizza..." Leslie spoke aloud. Almost as if she read my mind.

I nodded in agreement and proudly stood in front of the oven watching her measure, pour, and place each ingredient into a bowl.

Then she dumped it into the pot which had the noodles. I watched the momentum of the water flow around.

For some reason, I Imagined if I was miniature, It would seem like an ocean roaring with madness.

"What are you doing?" She laughed as my gaze remained unchanged at the pot.

"Oh!" I said slyly realizing that I was in a trance like state.

I moved closer to her and pulled the pencil out of her ear.

"Just admiring you."

She blushed and looked away.

"I know I haven t been myself, but I just need..."

I grabbed a hold of her and made her look face to face at me.

"Leslie you know out of all people, know that you've got to face your problems."

She swayed her head in agreement and rested her chin on my shoulder.

"I know..."

I pulled back from her and looked at her sparkling bluish green eyes.

"I love you."

She bent forwards to kiss me but as our lips touched, the doorbell rang.

"MMmmmm..." Leslie groaned as she pushed back and hurried to the door.

"Who is it?" I heard her yell. She obviously was patting down her unkempt hair after working all day and having no time to comb it neatly.

A few seconds later, I heard her cry "Dad!"

I rushed to the door wanting to see more of what was going on.

"Bill!" I said grabbing one of his reaching hands in order to shake it.

"What are you doing here?" I smiled as Leslie hugged tightly onto him.

He gave a weak smile and sat down in Leslie's favorite chair.

I noticed at once that he wasn't going to talk until I did, so I started off with a discussion about the weather.

Leslie grew bored of our chat and apparently began to cover her face. This was my cue from her to ask Bill's real reason for coming over.

"Bill." I said in a more natural voice. "Why did you come to visit?"

He lowered his head and shook it. "I didn't want to ruin you guy s Sunday afternoon." "But...I couldn't wait any longer."

"What?" Leslie asked taking hold of one of his hands while sitting on the floor.

"Its about your mom." He snuffled his nose.

"The phenomia has gotten worse and the treatments aren't helping anymore..."

Bill hugged us both as we held him in our arms.

My eyes were closed but I could feel Leslie shaking. I knew she was really hurt by this.

Deep inside myself, I felt sad too. All the years and summers I spent with Judy on the porch. Eating cookies and hanging out with my Best friend Leslie.

"I shall never forget..." I promised myself in a whisper.

I swiveled around to glance at Leslie.

For a second, I was a bit shocked. I had never seen her so upset.

She didn't turn her glance to me, and kept her watery eyes on Bill.

"Can we go...visit her?" She managed to mumble without breaking up completely.

Bill nodded and hugged his daughter once more.

Then he went out to wait in the car.

I pulled two Leather jackets off a coat hanger and wrapped one of them around Leslie.

She snuffled and tried to smile at me.

By this time as I looked out, it had begun to rain.

I locked up the house and the two of us dashed for Bill's car.

On the ride to the hospital, memories of my past came to me in an instant.

The same roads that I remember taking when Leslie had almost drowned...The roads to the hospital..

I tried to put those memories out of my head. But they only grew stronger.

I can still see Judy smiling at me as Leslie healed each day.

That confidence had helped me more than I had Realized.

It's when you lose a person, that you can see how much they meant to you.

"We take so much for granted..." I couldn't help but whisper to myself again.

Leslie seemed to hear me and looked back at me from the front passenger seat. Her face was still wet and depressed looking.

I took hold of her hand and gripped tightly.

The car slowed down and stopped in the Hospital parking lot.

All of us jumped out of the car at the same time.

Bill lead the way to the Judy's room.

I waited outside the door as Bill and Leslie went in first.

Instead of going in, she stopped and looked back at me in a very unsure way. As if she wanted me to go in with her.

I nodded and let her lean on me.

My hands felt hers tighten as we moved closer to where Judy lay.

"Mom!" Leslie screeched sitting down next to her mother.

Judy couldn't speak as a large tube was in her throat, providing air.

The machine seemed to pump in air as Judy needed it.

I could tell it was very uncomfortable.

"Jess is here with us..." Leslie whispered while smiling. "We're all here."

Leslie patted down on the bed for me to sit.

I gently hugged Judy as tears came to my eyes. It was such a tragic sight, I couldn't even speak.

Bill was across on the other side of the bed, holding his wife's hand that had an IV Needle lodged in it.

Judy tried to hold her hand to Leslie's face, but she was too weak.

Leslie gave her support and smiled even more.

"I love you all." Judy gurgled trying to speak with her lips.

After a few more moments, I left and sat outside in a chair.

I was soon joined by my wife once again, who was now blowing into a cloth.

From the corner of my eye, in a horrid moment that reminded me of my past once again, I saw Bill talking to a Doctor.

"You see Mr. Burke, pneumonia is normally very curable in the young and the middle aged." "But your wife has a lower tolerance due to her age and isn't responding at all to the treatment."

"Please forgive me, but in a sense, she's drowning in her own lungs." "If she was stronger, we might have been able to use more antibiotics, but I would not consider that now for a woman in her condition."

Bill took his glasses off and wiped away the tears from his eyes.

"How long Doctor?"

The doctor frowned and shook his head. "At the very most, Three days."

"And at the soonest?" Bill whimpered.

"It could happen anytime..."

By this time, Leslie was in my arms, with her head deeply pressed against my neck.

"Let's go home now Les." I said trying to get her mind off what Bill and the Doctor were talking about.

She nodded and the two of us headed back for the car.

Nobody talked on the drive home. Not even Bill.

I could tell that Leslie wanted to burst into tears, but she held it in all the way till we got home.

Even then, she waited till Bill left for his house.

"I'll drop over here tomorrow." Bill said putting his hat on.

I agreed and walked Bill to the door.

My gaze watched his car drive off and I stood there dumbstruck of what had happened all day.

After what seemed like five minutes, my ears heard the phone ring. The back of my mind wondered who was calling.

Then I suddenly realized.

"WHY!" I heard Leslie screaming as the sound of pots and pans clattered. I could tell glass was also clanging.

It pulled me from my trance and I came running over to her.

She was sitting on the floor, with her arms securing her legs close to her, sobbing. Kitchen supplies were knocked over and cups were shattered.

I quickly took her in my arms and kissed her head repeatedly.

She held hold of me and let all her distress out.

"I'm so terribly sorry Leslie." I cried now in tears too. "I'm so sorry."

She kept me close to her and sobbed onto my shoulder.

"Jess, Please don't let go of me."

"I won't ever." I replied.

"I promise."

I shall work very hard on the next chapter. Thanks and Review!